Edixon Mora making Chicha
Edixon Mora Lazaro is a “Little Devil’s Dance” veteran in Curré, a village at the Terraba River between Palmar and Buenos Aires. He is no longer involved in the parades that take place at the last weekend of every January. He prefers to supervise in his Cújsrót Workshop (cujsrot = woodpecker) the woodcarving of the masks used during the dances. Edixon loves telling stories of ancient traditions, the culture, and the spirit shared by all indigenous civilizations which is to love and honor nature.
Edixon Mora
When we were in his house, he described the process of preparing the famous chicha consumed during the festivities. For the family, chicha is essentially the source of life; this drink nourishes and refreshes. It has a great nutritional value, and the women prepare it from corn sprouts.
Jjicaro Tree
The chicha for the Festivities is made from yellow corn, which is washed, soaked, ground, and cooked. It is sweetened with sweet plantains and “tapa dulce” (raw sugar) allowing it to ferment for eight days. Then, they add the yeast, made from the same corn, and saved in bijagua tree leaves. The chicha rests for another few days, they add water, and strain it to be able to serve it in a calebash o “jícara”, which is a natural cuplike container made of the jícaro fruit. Cheers!
INFO: Taller Cújsrót – www.facebook.com/taller.cujsrot
